cue
A cue is a signal for someone to do something. In daily life it is a hint, a prompt, or the right moment to enter or speak. People wait for their cue.
What a model may hear
- build automation file software development
- look for a CUE file to validate or generate configuration, or expect the user is asking about the CUE language for data constraints
- audio track marker digital media and CD ripping
- split a continuous audio file at cue points, or look for a companion .cue file to locate tracks
- prompt injection token AI safety research
- treat the word as a delimiter or trigger in a system prompt, or scan for hidden cues in the input
- actor's line signal theater and film production software
- schedule a cue in a show-control system, or trigger lights and sound at a numbered cue point
Where people and models part ways
“Give me a cue”
Meant: Prompt me or tell me when to start
May be taken as: Output a CUE language schema or a .cue file for audio splitting
Say instead: “Prompt me when you are ready for me to start”
“I need a cue card”
Meant: I want a card with reminders to help me speak
May be taken as: Generate a configuration card in CUE format or a MIDI cue list
Say instead: “Make me a card with speaking notes and reminders”
“That was my cue to leave”
Meant: The signal told me it was time to go
May be taken as: Interpret as a command to terminate a process or end a session
Say instead: “I will leave now because the moment feels right”
“Cue the music”
Meant: Start the music now
May be taken as: Search for a .cue file to load an audio playlist, or output CUE code for music scheduling
Say instead: “Start playing the music now”
Tips
- Say 'prompt me' instead of 'cue me' if you want a nudge to begin
- Add 'for speaking' or 'as a reminder' if you mean a physical card, not a file
- Say 'start the' instead of 'cue the' for music, video, or effects to avoid file-format confusion
- If you mean the CUE language, say 'CUE configuration language' or 'CUElang'
- If you mean a theater signal, say 'stage cue' or 'lighting cue' to narrow the context
Often confused with
- queue
- a waiting line, not a signal
- clue
- evidence to solve something, not a timed prompt
- cues
- plural of cue, but models may hear 'CUEs' as multiple files
- Q
- a letter or the James Bond gadget-maker, not a prompt
- kew
- a place name, not a signal at all